A new study has revealed that a dozen members of staff at Havering Council are paid more than £100,000 a year, but the council leader has insisted these wages are "good value" for "the best people".

Figures from the TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) show there were at least 2,441 council employees across the country who received total remuneration in excess of £100,000 last year – 135 more than in 2016-17.

At Havering Council there were 12 employees who received this, with the top earner being chief executive Andrew Blake-Herbert with total renumeration of £213,318.

Other top earners in the senior management team included Jane West, Section 151 Officer, on £163,438; Steve Moore, director of neighbourhoods, on £161,790; Barbara Nicholls, director of adult social care and health, earning £161,790 and Tim Aldridge, director of children’s services, on £158,856.

Leader of the council, Councillor Damian White said: “Councils are large and complex organisations managing large budgets, employing large workforces and delivering an extensive range of vital services to the public.

Havering street scenes. Havering Town Hall

“We therefore need the best people leading and delivering these vital services that are often for the most vulnerable in our communities.

“They also help ensure we deliver one of the most efficient councils in the country. And when you compare us to other local authorities in terms of salaries, I would say that we get good value.”

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The local authority with the greatest number of employees receiving remuneration in excess of £100,000 was Essex Council with 55 employees in total earning over this amount.

Essex also had the highest number of employees earning over £150,000 at 13.

Slough Borough Council topped the TPA Town Hall Rich List, with interim chief executive Robert Parkin getting a payment of £595,077 before leaving his position in December 2017.

A total of 28 local authority employees across the country received remuneration in excess of a quarter of a million pounds in 2017-18.

A spokesman from TPA said: “Many senior managers at local authorities have performed well in tough financial times.

“There are many reports of residents seeing no difference in the services they receive despite the necessary savings being made. However, the Town Hall Rich List also showcases the executives who have overseen failing departments, or received bumper pay-offs after poor performance in the job.

“The research is a vital tool for taxpayers wanting to judge which authorities are delivering the best value for money.”